The walls of the new Burns Ford Garage building go up in the 100 block of North Alvord

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

With the 100th year anniversary of the Burns Ford Garage coming up in 2010, the expansion plans announced back in May are right on schedule.

The walls of the new state-of-the art service center began being raised the morning of Thursday, Sept. 4, and by the next day the walls were up.

A 250-ton crane was used to set the walls in place, with each concrete section weighing up to 86,000 pounds. The sections were then braced until the trusses can be set on top and the concrete footings poured.

Once completed, the 15,000 square foot service center will more than triple the garage’s ability to provide truck, auto, trailer and ATV service and repair, as well as, “Greater value and savings for all of Harney County,” co-owner Ted Marshall said.

The area where the service center is now will be remodeled this winter and will house a greatly expanded auto parts and accessory department. Plans call for a complete new line of auto and truck parts as well as the current complete lines of Genuine Ford, Polaris, Arctic Cat and Kawasaki parts.

The expansion plans also call for a new indoor showroom for trucks, cars, trailers, ATVs and snowmobiles in the front half of the current building. The showroom will display an expanded vehicle inventory in conjunction with the expanded parts department.

As the projects are completed, Burns Ford Garage will host open houses, and when all phases are done, there are plans to host their centennial celebration, hopefully by fair 2010.